OUR BABIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17863, 3 June 1926, Page 12

OUR BABIES.

By

HYGEIA.

Published under the auspices ol the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and children (Plunket Society). “It is wiser to put up a fence at the top of a precipice than to maintain an ambulance at the bottom.’'

WHAT EYERY BABY NEEDS, WHETHER WELL OR ILL. Every mother wishes to do the best she can for her baby, but there are many mothers who are not quite sure just what should be done and attended to every day of the baby’s life to ensure that he has all the essentials which will enable him to grow up strong, active and healthy. We cannot help these mothers better than by quoting what are commonly known as the “ Twelve Essentials ” from Sir Truby King's book, “ Feeding and Care of Baby.” Every baby must have air, water, food, clothing, bathing, muscular exercise and sensory stimulation, warmth, regularity of all habits, cleanliness, mothering, management, rest and sleep. AIR. Pure air and sunshine by day and pure air bv night is every baby’s birthright. They are both very cheap, but the baby is often prevented from benefiting by these free gifts through the ignorance of the parents. There should be an abundance of pure, cool outside air flowing fresh and free day and night through the room in which baby sleeps. Ventilation means a current across a room, which cannot be got by a mere open window. Do not place the cot in a direct draught. A screen may be used if necessary. During the daytime baby should be outside as much as possible. WATER. This must be boiled before being given to the baby to drink. Bathing water should also be boiled if of doubtful purity. FOOD. The best and only perfect food is mother's milk. Failing this, the best substitute is cow’s milk modified to suit a baby, or “ humanised milk.’’ No other food should be given for the first nine months. In sickness it may be necessary to stop, dilute or change the food for the time being. Feed baby regularly, giving nothing but boiled water (or a little orange juice if baby is fed artificially) between the. regular feedings. Shun patent foods, condensed milk and “ pieces.” CLOTHING. This must be non-iritating, non-con-strictive, light but sufficiently warm. “ Clothe baby according to the temperature of the day, not according to the date on the'calendar.” Do not make sudden changes in the number and thicknesses of the baby’s clothes. BATHING. Choose a cosy corner. Bath and dress quickly, without dawdling. (See pages 07 and SO. “ Feeding and Care of Baby. ) If baby is ill or verv delicate, forgo the bath for a day or so, and substitute wiping rapidlv with a cloth wrung out of warm water. When baby is about six months old cool sponging may 1/e begun. The temperature of th.e water for this sponging should be gradually lowered until the child becomes used to cold water. This sponging should take place immediatelv after the warm bath. MUSCULAR EXERCISE AND SENSORY . STIMULATION. Handle baby judiciously. Change his position m his cot. Let him lie naked trom the waist down in some sunnv spot tor a quarter of an hour or so, taking care that lie docs not get chill

ed. Plenty of outing in the sunlight is essential. WARMTH. Warmed air and surroundings arc essential for prematures, and may be needed for a week or more when getting coddled babies into - healthier habits. Diarrhoea and colds are often due to cold feet and Jegs, and may be cured l>y attention to other essentials Babies, like adults, benefit enormously by being kept in pure, cool air, if pro perly clad. (See page 84.) I REGULARITY OF ALL HABITS. I Regularity of feeding, with proper intervals, and no food between meals. Regularity of exercise, outing, sleep, etc. Regularity of action of the bowels. Do not let 10 o’clock in the morning pass without making baby’s bowels move if they have not moved in the previous 24 hours. CLEANLINESS. Cleanliness must be exercised in everything, especially with regard to food and feeding utensils. Hands which have come in contact with soiled napkins must be well washed before again handling baby or his food. Remove soiled napkins from the room j at once and place in water. MOTHERING. Proper “mothering” and handling of baby are essential for his best growth and development, but do not pick baby up unnecessarily to be “shown off.’’ MANAGEMENT. Fond and foolish over-indulgence, mismanagement, and “spoiling” m«y be as harmful to an infant as callous neglect or intentional cruelty. The “eant-be-so-cruel” mother or nurse who will not bring herself to wake the balfy a few times, if needed, in order to establish once for all regular feeding habits, j or who weakly gratifies every whim j of herself and her child rather ! low either to suffer temporary discomfort for the sake of permanent health and happiness, is really cruel, not kind. To save a lusty, honest cry she will pacify an infant with a “comforter,” or with food given at wrong times, and • may thus ruin the child in the first month of life, making him a delicate fretful, irritable, nervous, dyspeptic little tyrant, who will yell or scream day and night if not soothed and coniforted without delay. REST AND SLEEP. A baby needs abundance of sleep. A newly-born baby normally sleeps ninetenths of its time. At six months it should sleep two-thirds of the time. Remember to turn baby in his cot, and remove wet napkins, cold bottles, etc.